EDITORIAL: Tragic shootings highlight awareness of police safety

By Enterprise editorial staff

Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, September 8, 2015

With eight law enforcement officers being gunned down in recent weeks, sometimes in unprovoked executions, it's understandable why many men and women in uniform are looking over their shoulders these days. Even something as simple as pumping gas in their patrol car can no longer be taken for granted. That's how Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth was murdered last month by an attacker who emptied his pistol into him, even after he had collapsed.

These terrible attacks bring a new edge to what is already a dangerous job. They have also spurred many ordinary citizens, students, shop keepers, etc. to show their appreciation for law enforcement instead of taking it for granted.

That's welcome, but there have been other developments lately that are not. For example, Sen. Ted Cruz said last week that the spate of shootings can be blamed in part on President Obama, who hasn't shown enough support for law enforcement. That's absurd, and politicians need to resist the temptation to make those broad-brush assumptions about someone in the other party.

Equally distressing is the belief that you can either support cops on the street or the Black Lives Matter movement. Last week an East Texas community leader and former jailer posted a video encouraging viewers to attack people with guns and even rocks or slingshots if they protest police controversies.

Again, that's clearly ridiculous. There doesn't have to be any conflict between support for men and women in blue or the rights of suspects. Both are valid.

The recent shootings also highlight the need for more body cameras on police officers. The cameras shouldn't be viewed as a one-dimensional tool to keep bad cops in line. They also protect officers from unwarranted claims of brutality. In extreme cases, they can identify those rare assailants who attack with deadly force.

Ironically, overall police deaths are less than last year's toll. But it doesn't seem that way now, and one death is one too many. Police officers should be known for saving lives, not sacrificing their own.